HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter Presented to PC_Jackie Phillips 05-18-21 Thank you Planning Commission members for taking the time to listen, to Adrienne for
presenting, for Councilmember Rider for sponsoring, for Councilmember Nelson for
supporting, and for the guidance of Mr. Hollibaugh on this Amendment.
I'd like to start by asking a simple question.
How many of you know someone who has been diagnosed with or died from
cancer? Now, how many of you would have taken every opportunity possible to have
prevented that cancer?
THIS is one of those opportunities.
Lung cancer,
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma,
Chronic lymphoid leukemia,
Multiple myeloma,
Chronic myeloid leukemia,
Acute myeloid leukemia, and
Childhood leukemia
These are some of the cancers directly linked to benzene1, and this is why I am here.
Benzene was something I didn't know about until 11 months ago. It is a natural
byproduct of gasoline, and it is released at the vents from Underground Storage Tanks,
car exhausts, and at gas pumps. It's known to cause over 7 different types of cancer2,
as well as other health and respiratory issues. I wouldn't have known what benzene was
if a gas station wasn't proposed to come to my neighborhood. It was to be built less
than 100 feet from where senior citizens live, 300 feet from where residents live, and
900 feet from where developing children attend Primrose3.
Because of this, I poured over studies and statistics conducted by leading universities &
doctors from John Hopkins,4 Columbia University,5 American Cancer Society,s and the
U.S. Department of Health.?
All of which showed that there is no safe amount of exposure to benzene.8 And while
vapor recovery systems are sometimes in place to help remove Benzene at gas pumps,
unfortunately, these systems have been proven to not effectively scrub all the vapors,9
thus exposing those living within 500 ft to toxic levels of Benzene.1°
In my research I learned that other cities around the United States, including Indiana,11
have safety precautions preventing gas stations from being built near homes. To my
surprise I learned that the City of Carmel had very limited protections
Planning commission members, I am asking you to approve this amendment to the
UDO to protect the well-being and health of all Carmel residents. And if you should need
any further encouragement beyond the studies and statistics that we have shared with
you today; I ask you, would you put your parents in a nursing home next to a gas
station, would you put your children in a school next to a gas station, and most
importantly would you place your family's home next to a gas station?
Planning Commission Members, I am asking you to take this opportunity to amend the
UDO for gas station setbacks and Carmel Homes.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
If you'd like to learn more about the negative, harmful implications of gas stations, I'd be
more than happy to arrange a meeting for the Planning Commission to speak with Dr.
Markus Hilpert with Columbia University or any of the experts who have done extensive
research on Benzene.
1 National Library of Medicine https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3053447
2 2 American Cancer Society- https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/benzene.html
3 3 Environmental Protection Agency- https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-06/documents/
school siting guidelines-2.pdf
4 John Hopkins University- Bloomberg School of Public Health- https://jhu.pure.elsevier.com/en/
publications/benzene-exposure-and-cancer-risk-from-commercial-gasol ine-station
5 Columbia University- https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/public-health-now/news/gas-stations-
vent-far-more-toxic-fumes-previously-thought
6 American Cancer Society- https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/benzene.html
7 U.S. Department of Health &Human Services- https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/PHS/PHS.aspx?
phsid=37&toxid=14
8 World Health Organization- https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/329481/WHO-CED-PHE-
EPE-19.4.2-eng.pdf?ua=1
9 Frontiers in Public Health- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7020915/
10 Science Direct/Dr. Markus Hilpert- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/
S0048969718337549
11 Indiana Environmental Reporter- https://www.indianaenvironmentalreporter.org/posts/gas-stations-
emit-10-times-more-benzene-than-previously-recorded